So my lowboy pulling truck is down, its a 98 W. Star, detroit 60 series, and I really like the truck. But that doesn't mean I'm not shopping. My spare old pete is doing current work. I wouldn't mind a little heavier truck than what I currently have, but prices are up on used trucks, and then I come across things like this. Its a purple wave auction truck, and they have a "repairs" place where the seller can put on a listing of repairs they've done to the truck. Its a 2006 KW. Tandem with lift axle, 565 hp isx, 18speed with 4.10 rears. Pretty standard lowboy puller. https://www.purplewave.com/auction/...6-Kenworth-T800-Trucks-Truck_Tractor-Missouri But get a load of this repair bill. From 2019 road call for running with a knock. They ended up new engine and labor at $42,436 for a final bill. Now that's great that they got it all running and everything, but that's a pretty $$$$ repair for a 2006 with what I wouldn't term as a exotic engine.... The diagnostic is pretty funny with the running engine but couldn't bar it over by hand. Turned out spun bearing- but the kicker is "cummins said put a short block in it- and if there's head damage- complete engine". Sure I bet cummins would love to just sell a new engine- and from the bill that's exactly what they did. http://d323w7klwy72q3.cloudfront.net/i/a/2022/20220623truck/REPAIRJC9878.PDF
Crazy. I wouldn't even consider a truck post 2004.
$35,000 for a ISX, X15 $45,000. Buy a new with same spec's $230,000. Get another Series 60.
On the flip side the engine was covered under warranty apparently. Customer came out pretty well - $3600 for a new X15 installed.
If the engine is low hours, you may be able to get a policy on it from Cummins, protecting that investment. Cuz when they fail, it's catastrophic. Never a small fix.
Yes, we're in the process of fixing what I've got. Either the head is cracked/ gasket or I've got a pinhole in a liner/ o-ring. I've had bigger fish to fry lately. I wouldn't mind a double frame truck with bigger rears if I could find the right one. My frame twists up pretty good, when I get the torque on it coming up, or going down my shop hill with the jakes on.
I didn't even notice the warranty lines on the bill. What warranty would they have on a 2006 truck in 2019? Maybe they had just done a rebuild and it went bad again?
If I was seriously looking at that truck i'd be looking at the repair invoices very carefully, and maybe even calling the shop to verify they actually did the work, and on that truck. Doesn't take a lot to change a few numbers on a invoice from another truck if seller is trying to pull something. Not saying they are, but you never know.
Scratching my head on that one too. Probably a prior failure with engine swap?